What does partridge mean?
Word: Partridge
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Partridge means a plump, short-tailed brown bird often seen in the countryside.
How do you spell partridge?
Syllables: par - tridge
Tricky part: The closing sound is j, but the spelling is dge. Leaving out the d is the usual mistake.
Watch out for: partrige, partridg, partriddge
Memory tip: Picture a partridge perched on a ridge: the bird's name ends with that very word.
Partridge in a sentence
Example 1: A grey partridge scuttled across the farm track and vanished into the wheat.
Example 2: We heard a partridge calling from the hillside just after sunrise.
Example 3: The wildlife book shows a partridge with its chicks in a nest of dry grass.
Fun Fact
The chukar, a partridge of rocky Himalayan slopes, has a loud call, and birdwatchers often hear it long before they see it.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
p_r_ridge
a) o,t
b) u,t
c) a,d
d) a,t
Show answer
d) a,t. The first gap is the long vowel in car, and the second opens the sound in tree.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
During our nature walk, the guide pointed to a partridge hiding near the stream and asked the whole group to remain absolutly silent.
a) silent
b) absolutly
c) guide
d) partridge
Show answer
b) absolutly. Absolutely keeps the e of absolute before ly.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
A grtiaedrp led her chicks through the long grass at the edge of the field.
a) portrait
b) partridge
c) porridge
d) patronage
Show answer
b) partridge. Two r's, a t and a g with no o point to the bird.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the one that is not.
1. patridge 2. sapphire 3. gauge 4. yacht
a) an instrument that measures an amount
b) a round-bodied bird of open country
c) a light boat with sails, used for racing
d) a clear, bright blue jewel
Show answer
b) a round-bodied bird of open country. An r has gone missing from the bird's name; yacht, sapphire and gauge are correct.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Where would you most expect to spot a partridge?
a) on a branch at the top of a pine
b) among grass and low bushes on a farm
c) among reeds at the edge of a lake
d) on a high ledge above a sea cliff
Show answer
b) among grass and low bushes on a farm
2. What does a partridge usually do when disturbed?
a) It hangs upside down and hides
b) It dives deep under the water
c) It bursts up and flies a short way
d) It soars for hours on warm air
Show answer
c) It bursts up and flies a short way
